ds can lead to TMD. According to Chan, orthodontic textbooks state that in most orthodontic cases where overcrowding of teeth occurs, it is due to an upper jaw that is too small or is protruding. He believes that extracting teeth in such a situation will only make the jaw even smaller and compound the problem. Further, he cites research showing that 80 percent of patients with Class II malocclusions have retrognathic mandibles (the jaw is too far back, rather than protruding), and that less than five percent of Caucasians have truly protruding mandibles. Chan believes extraction can lead to constriction of the maxillary arch, preventing the mandible and jaw joints from attaining their correct forward position, which has a negative effect on the TMJ. He believes that the non-invasive techniques available today to correct overcrowding problems remove the necessity of extracting healthy bicuspids.
Miller agrees with Chan that routinely extracting four healthy bicuspids to re
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